


Ocean Air, Salty Hair

by inarikins



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: F/M, Lucretia is Angus's adopted mom, M/M, Surfer AU, also basically all the main cast will be showing up, also featured are the other canon relationships but they're not big features, but everybody's still an elf or dwarf, elves have slightly weird dicks sorry i don't make the rules, except for kravitz sorry, handjobs, kravitz is the biggest dork in instant love, lup and barry at least have their life on lock, merle is an old man who doesn't answer his phone, no magic, taako lives in a literal van
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-30
Updated: 2017-09-30
Packaged: 2018-12-21 14:21:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11946093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inarikins/pseuds/inarikins
Summary: Kravitz sees Taako and he's in love.Taako's not so sure.(The surfing AU we all wanted)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I finished listening to TAZ two days ago, but had this idea the instant I heard the beach episode... and made myself wait...
> 
> Not sure how this is going to go, or how good my grasp on everybody's voices is, but hopefully this all goes alright! 
> 
> I am also not at all versed in surfing or even life near the water, so if I make any terribad mistakes, please point them out to me so I can do better!

The cure for anything is saltwater-- sweat, tears, or the sea.

_-Isak Dinesen_

 

It was a beach town, and late fall, and southern California so though the pier was mostly empty of tourists, there was still a surfer out in the water, a few people on the beach.

Kravitz paused on the boardwalk, lifting his hand to  shade his vision against the sun. It was late in the afternoon, but it was light enough that he could see the surfer silhouetted against the water, a lean figure with a bright head of hair and a light-colored surfboard. They were wearing a hat or something, impossibly wide-brimmed for being out on the water, in the wind, but it didn’t fly off, didn’t waver.

As he watched, the surfer reached the end of their wave and dropped down to sit on the board. They let the water carry them to shore, and two of the figures on the beach moved forward, one carrying and open towel, equally bright-haired, equally lithe.

Kravitz stood and watched, fascinated, as they packed up their things, and the figures resolved into two elves and a human. The elves had golden brown skin and thick, curly, long blond hair, damaged and made frizzy by saltwater, and they were both beautiful. One, the surfer, was walking barefoot and bare-chested, the other in a bikini and flip-flops and carrying the board. 

Neither of them notice him as they head up the beach and walk away from him down the sidewalk, but their companion does. He paused, looked back at Kravitz. He was undeniably plain next to the elves - brown hair, glasses, tan skin, and wearing a t-shirt and denim shorts. Still, he didn’t say anything, he just lingered and watched for a second, until the female elf turned and called over her shoulder, “Babe, you coming?”

He hesitated a second longer, called over his shoulder, “Yeah, right behind you!” Then turned and strode after them, hurrying to catch up.

The sun was truly starting to set, now, and Kravitz turned, continuing to head down the boardwalk and towards home.

 

-

 

It was almost two weeks later before he spotted the elves again. Not on the beach, or in a bar - though Kravitz scarcely drank anymore, and definitely not out in public like that - but in the grocery store, at the Ralph’s, in the produce aisle. 

They weren’t dressed for the beach this time, but one of them was pushing the cart, the other meandering the fruit and vegetables. The same wide-brimmed hat from before was in the front of the cart, and Kravitz wasn’t immediately sure which elf was which - one was wearing a t-shirt and long, flouncy beige skirt, and the other a crop top and leggings. Kravitz stared down at the carefully stacked piles of oranges in all varieties and watched the elves out of the corner of his eye.

The one in leggings was leaning against the cart, hair pulled up into a big bun that looked ready to fall apart, watching their twin - they had to be twins, but Kravitz hadn’t known fraternal twins to look so identical - swish their way through the area. gathering up peppers and onions, and even leaning across Kravitz to pluck out a few perfect oranges with perfect accuracy. “All I’m saying, Lup,” they said over their shoulder at their twin, “is that if you don’t make the tortilla yourself, it’s not fucking worth even making enchiladas.”

They paused, turning back to the oranges, and Kravitz met their eyes - and they were beautiful. A narrow face, large eyes, the long, sloping nose that was so characteristic of elves, and plush, full lips. Before Kravitz could really process their thick eyelashes and big, wide eyes, they were turning away with a little wink and Kravitz’s heart skipped a beat.

Kravitz turned to watch them go and their twin was watching him knowingly, smirking with those same, full lips.

And then they were both gone, disappearing around the corner without another look back.

 

-

 

Kravitz was an ICU nurse. He worked long, hard hours, often overnight, and his trek home took him, with only a block’s detour, along the beach.

It was a quiet morning about a month after his most recent encounter with the elf twins, when he saw, again, the surfing elf on the beach. He didn’t know if it was Lup - who had worn the leggings in the grocery store, or the other one, but they had their blond hair pulled back into a braid and wasn’t yet in the water, instead sitting on the beach, phone in hand.

Kravitz stopped on the sidewalk, lunchbag on its strap slung over his shoulder, and watched the elf, carefully.

He was tired, and hungry, but he found himself stepping down onto the sand and crossed over until he was at least closer. He stopped when the elf’s ears twitched, then asked, hesitantly, “Can I ask your name?”

The elf turned, and Kravitz knew without being sure why that it was the same one who had reached across him for the orange, the same one who had winked at him.

“Only if you bring your hot nurse self over here and sit on down,” the elf said, and their voice was both serious and alit with laughter - maybe not at the joke, but at Kravitz’s expense.

Still, Kravitz obliged, stretching his long legs out in front of him. He pulled his bag into his lap and sighed quietly, glancing out at the ocean instead of being dragged into the elf’s eyes. “So?” He asked, turning to look at the elf after a moment.

“I’m Taako,” the elf said, their own attention turned out towards the ocean. This close, they smelled like the sea, and Kravitz can tell that their braid was twisted strands of hair, the ends standing out from each other, and could only imagine what it would look like loose, untouched by pins or product. He wondered idly if the blond was natural or affected.

“Kravitz,” Kravitz said. “You surf?” he asked, though it was pretty self-evident. The board was long and perfect and white, flames of every color working up the face of it - but they weren’t the tacky flames Kravitz had always hated, but they were soft, lifelike, a shower of multicolor sparks against a white background.

“Yeah, I surf,” Taako said, and left it at that.

“And… he?” He asked, unsure. Taako was sitting in front of him now, bare-chested and golden, but they had been wearing a skirt and makeup and earrings and bangles in the grocery store.

“Yeah, he.” Taako stood, kicking around the sand at his feet a bit. “Look, Kravitz, I gotta go catch those waves, but we should go on a date sometime.” He looked down, waited for Kravitz to nod, then picked up his surfboard from the sand and headed for the water.

Kravitz sighed and stood, and as he was turning to walk away, he paused, crouching down to write his name and number in the sand.

Then, he went home, ate, and fell asleep as soon as he was in bed.

 

-

 

Taako watched as the man, Kravitz, headed off down the beach, barely having to pay attention to the waves this early in the morning.

He stayed out for hours as the sun went higher and higher in the sky, abandoning the water when it started to get busier.

As Taako slipped his shoes on and scooped up his hat and towel and phone, he noticed the number written in the sand.

He considered it for a moment, and then tapped it into his phone before dragging his foot through the sand, smearing the name and number. Kravitz. He was pretty hot.

But instead of texting Kravitz, he stuffed his phone in his pocket and headed for Lup and Barry’s.

Their place was nice. Barry had a good job, and Lup did too, so it was only Taako who fed himself by hustling people at cards or pool anymore. Still, when he let himself into their apartment, it was quiet and dark. Instead of waking them up - it was the weekend, after all, and they were a pair of lovebirds - he set down his things, turned on the light in the kitchen, and let the smell of cooking breakfast wake them up.

Barry was of course the first one to stumble out of the bedroom, rubbing his eyes and jamming his glasses onto his face. “Morning, Barold,” Taako said over his shoulder as he flipped the bacon and then turned to start cracking eggs into a bowl.

“Morning, Taako.” Once - one singular time - Barry had tried out Lup’s nickname for her brother, and they had all agreed that it would never happen ever again.

Taako poured out a mug of coffee for the man who was basically his brother-in-law, even if he was a weenie who still had yet to propose to Lup, and slid it across the counter. “Thanks,” Barry said, sipping the coffee while obviously trying to wake himself up enough to be alive.

They fell into a quiet, nothing to say and also listening for Lup to wake up.

Sure enough, by the time Taako was turning off the heat on the eggs and flipping the pancakes, there was a loud thump, a quiet yelp, and the sound of a door opening and closing before the water turned on.

Lup stumbled out of the bathroom a few minutes later, wearing panties and a sports bra and nothing else. Taako didn’t even blink at his sister’s state of undress, just offered out her ‘hot momma’ mug wordlessly. “Morning, Koko,” she mumbled into her mug, ears slumped, hair a bird’s nest of tangles. She’d slept on her braid and it was going to be hell to get out, but Taako was up for the challenge.

“Morning, Lulu. Eat some breakfast.” He dished them all up food, but less for himself - a couple pieces of bacon and eggs, he wasn’t that hungry even after being out on the water.

“Thanks,” they both told him then tucked into breakfast.

“So what are we doing today?” Barry asked, looking between the two of them.

“I think Julia wants to hang out. So we’ll probably go to their place, Magnus is starting to slow down for the winter.” Lup lifted her head from her plate to take a sip of coffee and look at her brother for the first time really this morning. “‘s wrong, Koko?”

Taako started, lifting his own head. His hair was wet and clumped up, he’d been out surfing already this morning she knew. “Nothing,” he said, and it was partially true. She waited.

“You remember, like, a month ago, we were at the grocery store and I was talking to you about tortillas?”

“Gods, Taako, yes, how _dare_ I forget another inane conversation about _tortillas_.”

“No need to be so nasty,” he said, ears twitching. But his tone was warm. “Anyways, there was a human guy there. About yea tall,” he gestured somewhere a bit above his hair, “black, dreads, handsome as fuck?”

Lup straightened, trying to remember that night. “Let’s say yes, so we can move on with this conversation.” It hadn’t been a particularly memorable night, all things considered, she had no idea who else had been in the store and could not have picked out the man Taako was describing from a lineup.

“Well, he came up to me on the beach this morning and gave me his number.” He’s resolutely not looking at Barry. But Lup, instead of answering him, just stared back at him, her eyebrows raised just a fraction.

“Well, you better end up at his place, because I think if he knows you live out of a van he’ll run away and never stop.”

“Lulu,” Taako whined, throwing his hands down to his sides.

“Look, Taako…” Lup paused for dramatic effect and also slurped down more of her coffee. “I don’t need to know the deets to know you’ve been dry for a long fuckin time. Go on a date, get yourself boned, and delete his number in the morning.” She waved a hand through the air. “Or marry him, I guess, I don’t care. Whatever makes you happy. Just don’t bring him here, or if you do for the love of god change the sheets on our bed afterward.

Barry opened his mouth to protest, caught Lup’s look, then wisely closed his mouth with a small sigh. He stuck the last bite of his pancakes into his mouth then got up, “I’m going to go get ready,” he said, pressing a kiss to the side of Lup’s head before heading back to the bedroom.

When he was gone, Taako sighed. He stared down at his hands, then looked back up at Lup, but she was just watching him closely, mouth set in a line that was neither smiling nor firm. “Koko,” she said finally, getting up, “I love you, you know. And I just want you to be happy.” She reached out for his hands and he let her take them, and when she stepped in, he reached up and past her, pulling her into a hug. 

They stood together, Taako with his face buried against the side of Lup’s, and she continued, “You better go date that guy, but I fucking mean it about not bringing him here.”

  
Taako laughed, and it was short and strained, but he nodded, fingernails scratching lightly across her back as he held on.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUDE YOU GUYS. 70+ kudos????? THANKS SO MUCH.

We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch - we are going back from whence we came.

- __John F. Kennedy_ _

 

 

When Kravitz woke later in the afternoon, it was to his phone’s screen lighting up the dark of his bedroom. Grumbling he reached over for it, completely having forgotten giving his number to Taako this morning. So when he picked it up and stared at the message on his lock screen, he started and sat up, unplugging the phone from the charger.

It was a text from Taako, but he only knew that because the message was _this is Taako were u srs abt that date???_

Was it a bit too much to reply immediately? Probably, seeing as Taako had waited so long to text him in the first place.

Kravitz kicked off his sheets and got up. He headed to the kitchen, dragging a can of pop - he had a nasty habit of diet pepsi - out and popping the tab open with one hand while he checked his emails.

Taking a sip, he navigated back to the text message then answered, _I was. I work a lot tho, I’m an ICU nurse._

Despite giving it ten minutes since he’d gotten the message, the reply was instant: _oh thats cool. im between jobs rn_

Kravitz nodded slowly. _Maybe we could go to one of the restaurants on the pier before they close for the winter?_

_sounds good. im free whenever, obvs_

_I’ll get back to you about when, my schedule is a mess._

_sure._

Kravitz sighed down at his phone, then entered the number as a contact: Taako -- date him kravitz. As if he needed a reminder about that.

 

-

 

Taako sighed at his own phone. He was curled up on the couch at Magnus and Julia’s, Johann the dog unable to be pushed away, his head on Taako’s thigh even though Taako had his bare foot pressed into the wolfhound’s chest. He glowered at the dog, but Johann was incorrigible and instead just wagged his tail when Taako glared at him.

“Taako, do you want an iced tea?” Because of course Julia was always worried about her guests, even though they’d all been friends for so long it didn’t much matter if she left them to fend for themself in her and Magnus’s house or not.

“Please,” he said, looking up at her, “Heavy on the booze.” Slowly he reached out because nobody was around to watch him do it, and he scratched long nails behind Johann’s ear. The dog whimpered and thumped his tail happily, not at all upset when Taako pulled away as soon as Julia came around the island and into the living room - Magnus and Lup and Barry were in Magnus’s shop, doing something or another that he didn’t really care about.

He wasn’t expecting Julia to point Johann off the couch and then for her to take his spot, passing over a drink that Taako could smell from his end of the couch. He sipped out of the curly straw - she knew him so well - then hummed approvingly.

“Lup said you met a guy,” Julia started, a little smile on her face.

“Lup’s a fucking traitor,” Taako replied around the straw.

“So when’s your date?” Julia was completely unflappable. It probably came with the territory of being married to Magnus and his entire attached circle of friends.

“Dunno. He has to look at his schedule.”

“What’s he do?”

Taako glanced down at his phone to make sure Kravitz hadn’t texted him again. Nothing. “Says he’s an ICU nurse. I dunno, I’m just not really feeling it.”

Julia’s eyebrows went up, then she said, smiling, “Keep drinking that tea, and see where the night takes you, I guess.”

“To drunkville, hopefully,” Taako said, and watched Julia get up and head towards the yard and the garage-cum-workshop. Johann watched her go with a whine, then looked back at Taako, scratching the door.

Of course Julia had purposefully left Johann inside.

Taako swung himself to his feet and, phone in one hand and tea in the other, let Johann out then headed for the workshop.

It smelled like wood and varnish inside. The walls were covered in tools and devices Taako had no idea what could be used for - cooking, at least, was easy. He could make almost anything with a skillet, a knife, and a spoon, but the sheer number of chisels and saws hanging neatly on pegs on the wall was dizzying.

“Jules! Oh, hey, Taako!” Magnus was busy showing off a coffee table - he specialized in hand carvings and intricate detailing, which seemed odd for such a big guy, until you actually got to know Magnus.

Lup was leaning on the workshop table, staring down at the coffee table, then said, lifting her head, “Magnus, let’s do it. I’ve gone far too long in my life without something you’ve made that’s actually useful. Don’t you think?” She looked back at Barry, ears wiggling just at the tips.

“If…. that’s what you want,” Barry said with a small shrug. “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather have him make us a crib?” Magnus and Julia both perked up at that, like dogs coming to attention for an offered treat.

Lup, though, looked past Barry to Taako, who was stone-faced behind Barry. “Nah. I’m enjoying the kid-free life too much.” She was the only one to notice the ever so slight slump to Taako’s shoulders - relief, though he would never admit to being worried about Lup and Barry having a baby. “Hey, Koko, bring that drink over here and let me have some.” Taako obeyed, passing over the drink as though he didn’t want to hold so tightly to it.

“So a coffee table, then,” Magnus said, shoulders slumping just a little.

“Maybe you can make Julia a crib!” Lup suggested right before taking a huge swallow of the spiked tea.

“I already have three kids, I don’t need any more,” Julia said, but she rested her hand on Magnus’s shoulder lightly. “Come on, I know you boys want to watch the game, I’ll make snacks.” She snapped her fingers and the dogs hopped up to trot to the door, and they all headed back into the house.

Taako threw himself back down on the couch as soon as he was in, but had to make room for Magnus and Barry both to squeeze in with him. Lup threw herself down into Barry’s lap, kicking her feet up into Taako’s lap and he wrapped his hand around her ankles reflexively.

He played with his phone while the rest of them chatted, hoping Kravitz would text him again, but not so desperate as to text him first _again_ , not really all that interested in the football game - Lup liked it for some ungodly reason.

“Taako, will you come make the guacamole?” Julia called into the living room and Taako couldn’t spring up fast enough.

“I would fucking love to, bubbuleh,” Taako called back, throwing off his sister’s legs as he sprang up, leaving his phone behind on the end table.

 

-

 

Kravitz made himself busy with doing the laundry, but couldn’t stop thinking about Taako accepting his offer of a date. But he wasn’t sure when they could go out to dinner. Before the restaurants closed for the winter, but that would be in the next few weeks.

He paused in folding a set of scrubs to text Taako, _Was thinking… not sure when I have time for a dinner date, but we could get coffee tomorrow after I get off work in the morning? Around 8 or so. We can meet wherever’s within walking distance of the hospital._

The reply wasn’t quite immediate but it was close. _Yes!! Sounds gr8!_

Kravitz frowned. But before he could ponder how different this text was to the ones before it, another came in.

_This is LUP btw. taako is getting freaky on some guac so he can’t come to the phone rn. and by getting freaky I mean he’s making the most bomb guac you ever had in your life._

_Is his name really Taako?_

_YES!_

Kravitz smiled down at his phone. He stared down at the screen for a moment, then texted, _You two look crazy identical for fraternal twins._

_We’re identical, actually!_

Identical? But-- oh. Kravitz hesitated again, not totally sure if this was some kind of test of his response, but he’d seen the look Taako gave him in the grocery store and knew it was possible. _Maybe this is rude to ask, but is your hair naturally blonde?_

 _Yes!_ was the immediate response, followed quickly by, _but the sun helps out with making it pretty so that’s nice._

 _Cool._ And then… what else to say?

it seemed that Lup had the answer, because a few minutes later, just when Kravitz had started to fold clothes again, he got another message - but this time, a picture.

Taako, hair pulled up out of his face, staring up at the camera, a masher in one hand, a big bowl in the other, ears upright and eyes wide. He looked to be in the process of shouting.

He was barefoot, wearing an apron that proudly declared ‘I AM THE DOGMASTER’ accompanied by a hot dog. There was a woman in the background, mid-laugh.

_I only have a few minutes before he manages to get his hands clean enough to come get back his phone so u better save this kravitz. OH and if you hurt my baby bro we are going to have words._

Dutifully, Kravitz saved the photo then smiled when he got another text. _im going to kill her istg_

 _So long as we’re still on for coffee tomorrow morning? Or are you killing that too?_ The idea of not having coffee with Taako tomorrow was a disappointing one, but he would get it if not.

_no thats fine we can do coffee._

_Great! Where do you want to meet?_

In reply came a google maps link with a pin. Opening it, Kravitz recognized the coffee shop as being just a couple of blocks down from the hospital, but in the opposite direction from home. Not that it was a problem, but it meant that he usually never went there, either when he was going to work or when he was coming home. _how about here??_

_Good to me! I get off at 8 but I’m pretty much never out then, so it might be more like 8:30?_

_coolcool. look I gotta get back to cooking… but ill see you tomorrow, handsome._ Then, another photo - this one more complimentary than the last candid Lup had sent him. Taako, in the same kitchen, this time with his ears relaxed, smiling slightly, the same woman over his shoulder and also smiling.

For the first time, Kravitz could really see Taako’s eyes - they were wide, framed with thick, dark lashes. And his eyes were hazel, but a kind of hazel unique to elves - the inner edge.            along the pupil was gold, but the outer edge was a solid verdant green.

The woman behind him was a bit of a looker as well - thick, dark hair, tan skin, a wide smile. _Who’s she?_

_julia. shes the wife of one of my best friends…_

_Tell her hi from me, I guess…. if that’s not too weird._ Was it weird to say hello to the friend of somebody you were going to date but had really only spoken an actual handful of words to? Maybe. But Kravitz got the feeling that Taako was anything but normal, and that his circle of friends was likely to be equally strange.

The reply was a bowl of guacamole, piled high and green. _have to go. see u tmrw._

_See you._

Kravitz signed and set his phone down, leaning back against the couch, clean laundry in its basket abandoned at his feet. He stared up at the ceiling.

He had it hard, he knew. And for an elf he barely knew. Taako was beautiful, yes, but Kravitz had dated a lot of beautiful people and many hadn’t been very good behind the scenes, so to speak.

After a moment, he scooped back up his phone and looked over the photos. The selfie, he set to Taako’s contact picture, but the candid Lup had shot? “You have it so fucking bad, Kravitz,” he mumbled to himself before getting up to get ready for work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're starting to get things moving, thank god for Lup! Next chapter is the coffee date, see you then!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stuff's happening? This is a bit shorter, but I didn't want to push it because... well, you'll see ;)

Because there's nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it's sent away.   
- _ Sarah Kay _

 

When Kravitz finally walked into the cafe at ten to 9, he was out of breath and panting from having run there. 

Twenty minutes before he was out, one of his patients had started to code, so of course he’d had to stay - the man was stable now, but it had been close, and Kravitz had no idea if he would still be there when he had his next shift. 

The cafe wasn’t busy, but it also wasn’t totally deserted. Monday morning in September at 9 AM was not one of their peak times, probably, but there were enough locals around that a few of the tables had people at them. 

On the couch in the corner, though, was Taako. He was relaxed back, legs crossed at the knee, a mug in one hand and his phone in the other. He was wearing the same wide-brimmed hat he’d been wearing the first time Kravitz had seen him at the beach, his hair drawn into a smooth braid that hung over his shoulder. Kravitz took a single second to both catch his breath and admire the open-necked white shirt that showed off a great deal of his brown chest and the puka shell necklace, the bare feet, and the cropped linen pants before he headed over. “Taako,” he said, drawing the elf’s attention with a flick of his ears. 

“Oh, hey.” Taako sat up, setting down his phone on the coffee table along with his mug. “Almost gave up on you, chico.”

“Sorry, I had a patient try to die on me…” Kravitz took in and then released another breath, hoping he didn’t look as sweaty and exhausted as he felt. 

“It’s alright my man, I’m hungover to shit, so I was late getting here too. Get some coffee and come back and we can talk.” Taako smiled up at him and Kravitz felt his guts flutter helplessly. 

He pulled off his bag, throwing it to the couch next to Taako then went to the counter to order. As he waited for his drink to be ready, he watched Taako out of the corner of his eye. Taako was watching him. chin on his hand propped up on the back of the couch. 

Kravitz accepted both his mug - a spicy hot chocolate and a cherry danish because he had to go home and go to bed after this - and returned to the couch. Carefully, he set down his things and sat next to Taako, moving his bag to the floor. 

As soon as he was sitting, Taako reached out, plucking at his scrubs - black, and soft from so many washes. He’d changed before leaving work, not wanting to subject Taako to his night any more than he had to. “Hey…” Kravitz started, but stopped as he met Taako’s eyes, mouth dry. 

“Sorry about Lup yesterday. I should’ve known better than to leave my phone out for her to find.”

“It’s alright, really. I enjoyed talking to her. So, what do you do besides surf and make ‘bomb ass guac’? You mentioned you’re between jobs, do you work seasonally?” 

Taako considered, head tilting to the side briefly. “Me and jobs don’t really get along that great.” He turned to pick up his mug again leaving his phone behind on the table. “I’m too good for most of those chumps out there.” He took a big slurp of his drink, leaving foam behind on his upper lip. He wiped it away with his thumb then licked clean his thumb and Kravitz watched him do it, stupefied. 

Kravitz swallowed, started just a little, and sat up straighter. “What’s your sister do, then?” 

“Lup and Barry - he’s Lup’s boyfriend - are physicists.” Taako managed to sound bored while he said it, rolling his eyes like he wasn’t always immensely proud of his sister. 

“Wow. That’s really cool.”

“Yeah, they both teach and do research and stuff, it’s pretty cool. Not that I can even pretend to be able to keep up. Lup’s the smart one, I’m the pretty one.” 

“Well, I mean,” he started, then winced a little at Taako’s look. “Not that you’re not pretty, but Lup is pretty gorgeous too.” It was impossible to deny that the elf twins were an impossible sort of beautiful - even for elves, they seemed ethereal. Kravitz winced at himself again - he wasn’t doing a very good job at this. Taako, though, seemed unbothered.

“So why are you a nurse and not a doctor?” Taako rested his cup on his knee and turned, pulling his knees up with him so he could focus both his attention and the entire curve of his body on Kravitz. 

“Well, I did pre-med, but I just couldn’t cope with the stress. I dropped out, worked retail and waited tables to pay my bills, then went back to school and became a nurse. Pretty easy, after already being through pre-med. I’m still in debt up to my eyeballs, but I’m happier now than I was, so I’m not complaining.” Kravitz shrugged, reaching out to pick up his danish. He took a bite, continuing to meet Taako’s gaze. 

“Where did you learn to surf?” 

“Taught myself. Also taught Barry to swim, but that’s another story.”

“Will you tell it?” 

“Which one?” Taako lifted his head a little, ears twitching. 

“Any one.” Kravitz meant it, as well. He wanted to know more about Taako, wanted to learn all he could about the beautiful elf in front of him. Was it too early to admit that he was already besotted with Taako? Probably. 

Taako sat back, humming thoughtfully as he considered. He scratched the side of his nose, still thinking, then nodded to himself. He uncrossed this legs then crossed them the other way, nudging his bare foot against Kravitz’s leg. “Well, Lup and I were born in Mexico - though it wasn’t Mexico then. Also didn’t still belong to the Spanish, but anyways. We didn’t have much of anything growing up, we were raised by an aunt and then she died so we were alone.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Kravitz said, wishing desperately he knew when Mexico had become Mexico, curious as to how old Taako was. 

“It’s alright. She taught us how to cook, so I guess I owe her for that. When we were fending for ourselves, we had to have something else to do, so I taught myself how to surf on an old piece of driftwood.” Taako blinked slowly, gaze more on his hands in his lap than Kravitz. “It took me like a whole year to even be able to ride little waves.”

“You’re able to do a whole lot more than that now, from what I’ve seen.” 

“Yeah, for sure!” Taako laughed - though it was short, it was bright and it made Taako’s eyes crinkle up. Kravitz’s heart fluttered helplessly. 

“Why don’t you surf professionally? I’m sure you’re good enough for it.” 

“I did, for a couple years, but I just didn’t like it.” 

“So what do you want to do with your life, then? Though I’m sure living on the beach and hanging out with your sister is pretty nice, too.” 

Taako shrugged, but the set of his mouth seemed to tell Kravitz that Taako  _ did _ know what he wanted to do with his life, but didn’t want to say it. “What about you?” he asked instead. 

“Well… I dunno. Find a guy, buy a house, travel the world… in that order, I think? Or maybe travel and then buy a house.” Kravitz shrugged a little. “I’m 28 though, and still buried in student loans, so who knows… Maybe one of my rich relatives will die and leave me some money to pay my bills off with.” He turned himself a little towards Taako, shifting but making sure not to disturb the foot resting gently against his calf. 

He met Taako’s eyes again and the elf stared back at him, blinking slowly. “I… sorry if this is really weird, but… you’re really beautiful, and I…” Taako smiled, head tilting to the side, but didn’t say anything. If he was upset for any reason, though, Kravitz couldn’t tell, so he continued. “I’m really glad we’re having coffee. I was so scared when I saw you on the beach yesterday, I wasn’t sure if you would just laugh at me, but... “

“I’m not going to say I wouldn’t, but I didn’t. I can’t say no to a handsome man, after all,” Taako said, then reached out, pressing his coffee-warmed hand against Kravitz’s cheek and jaw, thumb brushing just under his eye. 

Kravitz bent into the touch, closing his eyes, and smiled just a little. Then he looked up, “Can I kiss you?” 

“Here?” Taako asked, eyebrows going up, but he was still smiling. “Alright, my man.” 

Kravitz took a breath to steady himself before he leaned in. Taako didn’t move away, but instead into the kiss. 

It was chaste, and Taako’s lips were dry, but they were soft and unchapped and warm and time around them seemed to stop. 

Taako was staring back at him, eyes half-lidded, and they looked so so green like this, framed by those thick lashes, and Kravitz’s heart was beating so, so hard it felt like It was about to explode out of his chest. He reached out with one hand and it found Taako’s thigh and Taako hummed into his mouth and then the kiss was deeper, open-mouthed, Taako’s tongue swiping over his lip, his teeth, and then--

Then Taako was pulling away. But he was smiling, and breathless, and Kravitz was smiling and breathless too, one hand on Taako’s thigh, the other hovering somewhere over his chest, fingers just barely curled into the open collar of his shirt. And Taako had one hand on his shoulder, and the other was on his side, and they were still so close they were breathing each other’s air and-- 

“Do you want to come back to my place?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Find me on tumblr @notsoshem


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note the updated warning/tags! I was intending for this to be more slow burn, but the boys have other plans it seems.
> 
> Also THANKS for 99 kudos!!!

I am the shore and the ocean, awaiting myself on both sides.   
- _ Dejan Stojanovic _

 

Kravitz’s apartment wasn’t that big. It was neat, everything in place, but modest. The furniture was old and worn but still sturdy. Kravitz paused just inside the doorway to slip his shoes off and rest his bag on the counter, and Taako slipped out of his own shoes courteously, but definitely wasn’t ready for Kravitz’s hands to slide around his sides and tug him close. 

Taako went, smiling, curling his own arms around Kravitz’s shoulders and neck, burying one hand in his locs, the other tracing the side of his face. He leaned in, slowly, pressing their lips together again. Kravitz was warm, though his hands on Taako’s sides, even though his shirt, were freezing cold. 

Their second kiss was just as electric as the first, the same thrum of heat spiking directly into Taako’s gut, the same feeling that something about this man was different to all other other men Taako had had in his life. The kiss left him breathless as Kravitz turned them both, propelling him backwards to the couch where he landed and sprawled himself, hat knocked to the floor. He grinned up at Kravitz - in his faded black scrubs, his arms thick with muscle, his dark skin and his brown eyes - and then Kravitz was there, kissing him again - this time on his neck, his throat, the bare expanse of skin exposed by Taako’s open shirt. 

But when he ran his hands up Taako’s sides, under his shirt, Taako couldn’t help his shiver. “Hacchi macchi, Krav, you’re  _ cold _ .” He closed his hands around Kravitz’s wrists and pulled him away - but he was grinning even though Kravitz was wincing a little, obviously embarrassed. 

“Sorry,” he said, ducking his head, “I have really bad circulation.” 

“I can tell.” Taako pulled at Kravitz, bringing his hands up and curling them against his chest. “Hey, listen, let me make dinner. Instead of going out somewhere.” 

“Are you sure?” Kravitz was looking at him with those big eyes, his bottom lip a bit damp still from where Taako had licked it while kissing. 

“Yeah. Some night when you don’t work. I’ll cook. It’ll be better than anything those places on the boardwalk serve, believe me.”

“Alright.” Kravitz nodded, then leaned in to press a kiss to his lips again - and they were off, kissing furiously, like they weren’t both adults. 

Except for his hands, Kravitz was warm, and he was bigger than Taako - not quite as big as Magnus, but large. Taako let his mind go pleasantly fuzzy as Kravitz kissed his way up Taako’s throat to the corner of his jaw then then to his ear. 

Taako whined, ears twitching, but it must have been a good enough noise that Kravitz continued, pulling the line between his teeth gently before reaching up to touch his ears. His touch was utterly gentle but Taako was left breathless and whimpering in pleasure as Kravitz’s fingers brushed over the upper edge of his ear, rubbing his thumbs into the flat ever so gently, before cupping the back side. “You like that?” 

Taako nodded, eyes closed, fingers stilled on the front of Kravitz’s scrubs, hooked into the soft cotton. He turned his head to the side when Kravitz’s mouth replaced his fingers, the soft press of his lips accompanied by the hotter wetness of his tongue and couldn’t help his very soft cry of pleasure. He was utterly weak to his ears being played with, even more sensitive to it than other elves, and he was putty under Kravitz’s careful ministrations. 

But when Kravitz pulled away, he blinked and turned his head back - Taako felt hot all over and laid bare beneath Kravitz. He was also very very hard and Kravitz’s thigh was close. It wouldn’t take much at this point to get him off, and Kravitz seemed to understand that. “Do you want me to--" Taako was already nodding, arching his back. Hand, mouth, he didn’t much care, but he had to get release soon or he was going to explode. “Do you care--" 

“No, please, Krav, I just…” He started to reach down, fumbling for his own pants, but Kravitz put his own hands in the way, pushing aside Taako’s to unbutton the linen pants and pull them down. “I’m going to crazy if you don’t touch me.” 

 

-

 

Kravitz was having trouble believing that this was his life. It felt like a dream to have Taako in front of him, sprawled out on his couch, shirt open, pants open, pink and white and red-striped panties barely able to contain his cock. 

Taako was flushed, too, all the way up his body, his ears were pink all over and were almost continually twitching and shifting, and he was looking at Kravitz with those eyes, half-lidded, watching him, his lips wet with spit, the gloss smeared off of him somewhere along the way. 

“ _ I’m _ going to go crazy if I don’t touch you,” he said in return and reached out, curling a hand around the bulge in Taako’s panties - it was hot and hard under his touch and Taako let out another whine that went straight to Kravitz’s gut, curling there and festering warmer and warmer. 

He took a moment, just to cup Taako in his hand, then urged him to lift his hips, dragging off the linen pants and tossing them to the floor. Taako seemed content to leave his shirt on, though, and was back to staring at Kravitz. 

Utterly aware of those eyes on him, Kravitz used both hands to pull down Taako’s too-cute underwear and his cock was exposed to the air for the first time. Functionally, there wasn’t much difference between an elf’s dick and a human’s. It was mostly up to the shape - slimmer, longer, with a tapered head and instead of a flare around the glans, there were several smaller ridges. 

Kravitz swallowed at the sight of it, but didn’t hesitate to touch Taako, curling his hand gently at first. He’d never actually given an elf a handjob, but it was probably about the same. He stroked his curled hand up, then brushed his thumb over the top - Taako shuddered - before drawing his hand and a fair amount of precome back down. “Good?” he asked, eyes more on Taako’s face than his hand. 

“You can hold a bit tighter,” he said, and Kravitz obliged. 

Soon, they found a good rhythm - and snug grip, but fairly slow pumps, and Kravitz took the time to run his thumb over the head every time - if only because it made Taako’s whole body shudder when he did so. 

“Babe, I’m gonna need you to--" Taako’s voice broke as Kravitz sped up his pumps, and it was impossible to miss the way the elf’s toes curled and his back arched - his eyes were closed, his mouth open, and though his own erection was going untended, Kravitz only had eyes for Taako. 

The increased pace seemed to do it - Taako’s cries went from intermittent to louder, more common, and then he was coming, his back arched, head thrown back, hands grabbing for anything they could - one ended up in Kravitz’s hair, twisting a handful of locs painfully. 

By the time he released his grip, Taako was spent and gasping, sweaty and flushed, his chest and belly splattered with his own release. Still, he immediately lifted his head, his hand reaching out. 

“Lemme grab a towel,” Kravitz said, sitting back then getting up - his legs were jelly and he… Well, it was embarrassing, but he wasn’t entirely surprised with himself. 

By the time he returned with a damp washcloth, Taako was sitting up on the edge of the couch, shirt discarded to the side. Kravitz passed off the towel then watched with undivided attention as the washcloth worked its way up Taako’s chest and belly, then over his legs, before it was folded carefully and set on the coffee table. 

“Let me return the favor, handsome,” Taako said, and his eyelids fluttered up at Kravitz - they were all gold now and practically molten. 

“It’s uh. not necessary.” Kravitz flushed and looked away. “I do need to use the bathroom real quick.” 

“Oh. Really? I did that?” Taako’s smile turned into a grin and he stood, still stark naked, and when he leaned in, Kravitz was only too happy to accept the kiss. 

“It’s been a long time,” Kravitz said by way of excuse, curling his hands around the small of Taako’s back. 

“Well, don’t let me keep you, I’m sure undies full of spunk is pretty uncomfortable.” 

“I’m pretty sure it’s illegal for somebody as pretty as you to use the word ‘spunk’, Taako,” Kravitz said with a laugh, but turned to head for his bathroom, tossing the wet washcloth into the hamper on the way. He abandoned his own clothes to it as well, before cleaning himself up. 

Taako stood in the doorway to watch him, apparently utterly unashamed (though Kravitz was finding it hard himself to care about modesty), and it was impossible to miss the way he bit his bottom lip when Kravitz carefully stepped out of his ruined boxers. 

Once he was in clean sweats and a tank, Kravitz turned to Taako. He was exhausted, well past his usual bedtime, and he had work in what was going to feel like no time at all. 

“As much as I want to stay up all day, I really do need to sleep. Not that I’m kicking you out, you’re welcome to stay, but I’ve had a long day at work, and..” 

“I get it,” Taako said with a small nod. “I’ll head out, but I’ll be thinking of you all day, for sure.” He leaned in and they kissed and it was so hard to pull away, to not start this all up again, but they managed, somehow. 

“At least let me walk you out.” 

“Not necessary. Taako’s a big boy, he can walk himself out just fine.” Taako smiled, but Kravitz followed him back to the living room anyways, unable to keep his eyes off of the elf as he dressed and adjusted his clothing in front of the hall mirror, tugging his hat down firmly over his hair. 

“What’s your favorite kind of food?” He asked, standing in the open doorway, shoes in hand instead of on his feet. 

“Uh….” 

“Italian, French, what?” 

“I honestly don’t care. I’ll eat anything, if you make it.” 

“You like spice?” 

“Yeah, I do, I think.” 

“Alright. Text me when you’re off and we’ll make plans.”

“Sounds good.” Kravitz lingered in the doorway, watching Taako as he headed down the stairs and started off in the direction of the beach. 

Kravitz waited until he was out of sight to close the door and he leaned back against it with a sigh. He’d given his first handjob in months today, and blew his own load without even a touch. He definitely had it real bad. 

 

-

 

Lup had long since gotten used to weird texts from her brother at all hours of the day or night, but it never got any less weird to have his ringtone - a rather dizzying midi version of ‘my heart will go on’ blast out into the relative quiet of a lecture. 

Luckily, it was Barry who was up front talking so she didn’t have to do the walk of shame to the desk to pick up her phone to silence it, but she still yelped as she fumbled for it, turning the volume down before opening the text. 

Inside, from Taako, was a picture. A selfie with his back to the ocean, and a shot of side of his neck and throat and one ear and there, clear as day, was a rather sizeable, dark hickie just behind his jaw. 

_ I DON’T WANT DETAILS _ she attempted to text before details could be forthcoming, but she was too late, they were already there. 

_ he came in his pants just giving me a handjob????? very adorable. also, really likes my ears so yay there!! ALSO he kicked me out but I guess its nighttime for him so oh well.  _

_ GROSS. you aren’t supposed to tell your sister the deets of getting laid, that’s for your gross boy friends to hear about.  _

_ u kno if I tell mags hes just gonna tell jules and then theyll both try to give me advice… no thx. will stick to grossing out sister for now.  _

_ you are the WORST.  _

_ love u 2 lulu. also going to need to borrow ur place some night to make dinner. u and denim boy are not (not!!!) invited. _

_ fine but istg if you two do it in our bed you’re buying us a new mattress. _

_ pshh _

_ you are so gross taako I hate you.  _

_ I hate you too lulu <3 _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Find me on tumblr @ notsoshem ! I don't post a lot of TAZ, but I'm down to talk! Also, looking for blogs to follow so hmu if you wanna!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter kind of beat me up, which is why it was a bit later than I wanted. Not only did it fight me even for a plot (there were more than several scenes that I wrote and then deleted) but also Destiny 2 came out and I've been playing a lot of that since it came out. So hopefully this isn't too disjointed and obnoxious.

Those who live by the sea can hardly form a single thought of which the sea would not be part.  
\- _Hermann Broch_

 

It wasn’t at all unusual for Taako to text Lup when she was teaching - when _they_ were teaching, but it was odd for her to practically squeak as soon as she opened the text, ducked down into her chair as she texted her brother back.

But Barry didn’t get a chance to ask about it until lunch, when they were under their favorite tree on the quad. Not that he even needed to ask, Lup seemed all too happy to throw her brother under the bus.

“I’m really glad he found a guy, I really am,” she told him, mouth full of sandwich, “but I do not need that kind of detail, seriously. I don’t even know what this Kravitz guy looks like, but apparently he’s into Taako enough that he’ll come in his own pants?”

Barry choked on his own food, then coughed, “I didn’t need to know that, Lup!”

“Well, welcome to the club,” she said with a sigh and shake of her head. “We’re in this together babe, he’s your gross brother-in-law.”

“We’re not even married,” Barry felt himself protesting, but knew it was little use. They might as well have been married. Hell, they probably _should_ get married. It was hard to get joint teaching positions without being married. “We should be married. Just because Taako can’t-" he paused at the look Lup shot him, then continued on anyways, “Just because Taako _won’t_ deal with the fact that we’re happy together and refuses to think I’m not just going to steal you away from him the second we’re married doesn’t mean we don’t deserve that. Maybe this Kravitz guy will be good for him.

“If that’s the guy then, who knows, maybe Taako will finally stop living with one foot out the door instead of in a shitty van down by the pier. I know you love him, Lup, and I love him like a brother too, but he’s using you like a crutch and we all know it.”

Lup sighed and shook her head, but he knew that she knew he was right. “We’re not married because I refuse to take your dumb last name.” But she was smiling and bumped her shoulder into his.

“We could take your last name,” he said. Honestly, he didn’t care what name they shared, or about a wedding. He knew marriage could get complicated for elves, with how long their lives were, but they could work out the finer details. “Lup… I don’t want to be an old grey man before I get to marry you. I want to be able to enjoy our honeymoon while I’ve still got some go in me.” That made her laugh and Barry felt his entire chest warm.

She looked at him, eyes alight. She was gorgeous, hair a pale halo framed in sunlight, her ears long and sloping, mirroring the long slope of her nose. Every time he looked at Lup, he fell in love all over again, the fluttering in his chest like the first time he’d ever seen her. He’d been much younger than, barely an adult. They’d been in college together - her hair was shorter then, shorn short on the sides and left long on top.

“I’ll think about it, okay?” she asked, and though Barry felt his heart sink in disappointment, it was impossible not to be pleased when she leaned in to kiss him. He kissed her back, and it was familiar and warm and gentle. “Let me talk to Taako again.”

“Alright. But if you wait too long, I might just buy you a ring and propose anyways.” Barry smiled into Lup’s mouth and she was smiling too, and when they broke apart, they were both laughing.

 

-

 

Taako took his time walking back to Lup and Barry’s place after deciding to stop harassing his sister. Instead, he tapped at his phone as he walked, searching Facebook for any hint of Kravitz - but with just the one name, it was hard enough that he gave up, determined to ask Kravitz his last fucking name later, when the guy wasn’t asleep.

Taako sighed and stretched as he walked, jamming his phone into his pants. The wide brim of the hat was nice, and it prevented the sun from getting into his eyes which was wonderful considering his lingering hangover.

He paused along the boardwalk at a food truck that only served breakfast. It wasn’t all that busy this late in the season, mainly locals waiting around for their food.

Taako wandered up to the truck and ordered. He came away with a breakfast sandwich, all meat and eggs and peppers, as well as a thick slathering of avocado. He threw himself down onto a nearby bench to eat, leaning carefully over the little cardboard boat his sandwich had come in so he didn’t drip out of the paper wrapping and onto his clothes - going to Lup’s place to shower and steal some of her clothes notwithstanding, he didn’t want to get all greasy.

As he ate, he knew that, someday soon, that would be him in the truck. That would be him making the best tex-mex anywhere in the state - no, in the country. And not just tex-mex. Actual Mexican food, old recipes that nobody except an elf could remember, that nobody but Taako could make from memory having had it only a couple of times as a child.

The only problem was… he didn’t have a food truck. Or any money. He lived in a van by the beach with only a camp stove and cooler to his name. Regular jobs and Taako didn’t get along too well. He wasn’t Lup, wasn’t content to do what she did, and toil along in relative obscurity. Taako wanted bigger things, brighter things, he wanted to be known the world over.

And yet.

Here he was, sitting on a bench jealous of Matthew, the food truck owner. Taako swallowed his last bite of sandwich and flung himself up. Hustling pool or cards wasn’t going to cut it much longer - and it was less lucrative to take locals for a ride than the tourists. He needed something else, some way to make money.

Tossing his trash into a can, he headed for the apartment.

 

-

 

When he got there, it was dark and quiet - Lup and Barry were out at work. They were teachers. And they taught together. Taako shivered at just the idea, but they were happy enough at it, he supposed.

But he was alone in the apartment, so he stripped down without fear of permanently scarring Barold more than he already had and made his way into the bathroom, tossing his clothes into the hamper to mix freely with the rest in there. Taako didn’t have a washing machine for obvious reasons, so everything got washed here.

Stepping into the shower’s hot spray of water was a relief, though. Despite the washcloth, he was sticky with leftover come and sweat from the heat of the day combined with the humidity of the air. Pushing his wet hair back out of his face, Taako let his hands trace over his face and jaw and earlobes, then lower to his neck. He could see feel Kravitz’s lips on his skin, the hickies big and small left on his throat and neck stinging when he pressed his fingers into them.

It was almost a natural progression to go from running his hands over his neck to stroking them down his chest gently, barely pausing as his palms ran over hard nipples, then went lower.

But try as he might, even thinking of Kravitz’s hand on his cock couldn’t get him hard - yet again, he cursed his elf physiology preventing it, but it wasn’t that huge of a deal. He could still relish in the memory and imagine next time. Their first date had turned into a handjob on the couch, who knew what the next one would bring.

When Taako clambered out of the shower - its hot water running cool - half an hour later, it was to his phone flashing with messages. He took his time wrapping his hair in a towel and another around his hips before scooping it up - carefully, he was still pretty wet - and unlocking it.

It was Lucretia. _Taako, I’m planning a dinner party for all of us to get together before the holidays… Can we coordinate the meal plan? I’ll buy the ingredients or I can give you money, whatever works. Planning on Saturday the 26th of this month. Let me know._

Taako couldn’t help his small smile at the text.

 _yea girl thats fine. have anything in mind? or are you giving me full control?_ Lucretia was a bit of a control freak, but it was fine. Taako was more than a bit of a control freak. They knew when to give in to the other, and Lucretia wouldn’t deign to decide the logistics of dinner over him.

_It’s starting to get cold, so I was thinking something warm? But not like Thanksgiving, I don’t want that much stress twice in one year._

_i hear u lu. maybe a sweet potato soup? i can roast a couple chickens or ducks or something. and something veggie for dav? is he still vegetarian???_

_Yes, he is. Thank you, Taako._

_np chica. how is ango?_

_He’s doing very well! Still having trouble challenging him, but we’re doing our best. He’s so excited to see you and Magnus especially. Talks about you all the time, says he wants you to teach him how to cook someday._

Taako perked up at that, ears twitching in pleasure at the idea. _i would love that. maybe if the van was more reliable i could visit more often._

_I could come and pick you up? Or you can teach him at Lup and Barry’s, if they don’t mind? It’s just so good to see him actively wanting to learn new skills, I was so afraid he was going to be hesitant forever._

_ill talk to LUP. she and denim boy are at work still. also if she texts u shes lying i dont have a bf. it was a handjob, we're not official or anything_

The response to that one was a bit delayed. _I’m glad to hear you’re putting yourself out there again though, Taako. After what happened…_

Taako winced, ears drooping just a little. _his name is kravitz. super hottie. idk if anything else is going to happen but he seems real into me so who knows._

_Either way. You know we’re all here for you though, Taako. You don’t have to shut us out. I know I myself have made some mistakes with our relationship, but I hope it won’t continue to come between us. At least talk to your sister._

_im fine. everythings fine, no need to worry yourself any more grey than you already are._

_Alright. I love you, Taako. Don’t forget to send me the dinner plan!_

_love you too lu. ill start working on it after i take a nap promise._

Taako sighed and set down his phone. Then he scooped it up again and texted Kravitz, ignoring the fact that he was probably asleep. _are we official??_

Setting the phone down for real, Taako grabbed open the box of hair product sitting on the counter and got to work taming his hair. It was a constant battle to tame the curls to a manageable level, but the humidity always did its level best to ruin all his work.

After working in product, he twisted his hair into a long rope then up onto his head, curling it around itself and securing it with a hair band. It would hold well enough and be comfortable to sleep on.

A quick ransacking of Lup’s pajama drawer and Taako came up with a pair of soft sleep pants and a t-shirt. It smelled like Lup faintly, but it was enough to help him relax curled on his side on the couch, the quilt from the back of the couch tucked firmly around him.

  
He fell asleep, phone tucked half under the pillow, and didn’t wake until Lup pounced on him later in the afternoon, sending them both to the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Taako lost a fight with his phone's autocorrect which is why no matter how hard he tries, it always corrects to LUP. 
> 
> Find me on tumblr @notsoshem!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> /thows hands up in exasperation at all the characters

all my life i have lived and behaved very much like the sandpiper just running down the edges of different countries and continents, looking for something.   
- _ Elizabeth Bishop _

 

It wasn’t habit for Kravitz to check his phone when he first got up in the “morning", so he didn’t notice immediately that he’d gotten a text from Taako until he was headed out the door. He was exhausted, hadn’t slept all that well, and now had a full night ahead of him. 

He hated the idea of sleeping at work, but he knew that if he sat down for any length of time at the nurse’s station, he would probably fall asleep propped up on his own hand. Which was why he had to blink several times at the message and pause on the stairs outside his apartment to read it a second time, and then a third:  _ are we official?? _

Were they? They’d had one date that had turned into a handjob for Taako. Normally, Kravitz wouldn’t consider them to be dating after that, but… He might just be in love with Taako. And he didn’t even know Taako’s last name. 

It took him half his walk to send a reply.  _ If you want to be? I’m not going to lie, I’m really into you. _

Kravitz sighed after the message was sent and stuffed his phone back into his pocket. 

Work was largely uneventful - the man who had delayed his arrival at the cafe the morning before was still there and seemed grouchier than ever - Kravitz was only partially glad he was still in the ICU, the man was a downright menace when he was awake. 

“Mister Wallace, you should get some rest. You had a heart attack this morning and nearly died and your blood pressure is still high.” Kravitz checked the man’s chart, double-checked the doctor’s orders, then hung the clipboard back up. 

Mr. Wallace grumbled and complained but settled, thankfully. Not that he would calm down for any of the female nurses, apparently Kravitz was the only one able to tell him to chill and then he actually did. 

Sighing, Kravitz made his way back out to the big round room with the nurse’s station in the middle, plopping down onto the chair to check his schedule and try to find an open spot to have dinner with Taako on. He’d been picking up lots of extra shifts recently, to try to make a dent in his still-festering pile of student loans, and now it was inconvenient. 

It would have to be after the current batch of schedules passed. Kravitz scrolled to that week, hummed over his choices, then tugged out his phone.  _ I can take off time week after next, I work every night until then… When would best for you? _

But Taako still hasn't answered his first text. Maybe he was asleep or otherwise busy. 

 

-

 

Taako was trying to keep it simple tonight. He’d set chicken to marinade in a ginger and honey sauce earlier that afternoon and was currently frying rice. 

Lup and Barry were on the couch working, sitting pressed together from hip to ankle, feet on the coffee table, papers all around them. They weren’t talking except occasionally, in hushed tones. 

His phone was also currently sitting on the end table on the far side of the couch charging and buried under a stack of papers, its first buzz from Kravitz completely unnoticed. 

It wasn’t until well after dinner, when the papers were getting cleared up and the dishes were done that Taako scooped up his phone and charger, intending to head back to his van to sleep. 

It was pretty far past 10 PM when he checked his phone. Three messages from Kravitz. The first was the hardest to handle. Did he want to be officially dating Kravitz? After only one coffee date? Taako had been burned in relationships before, but… Kravitz seemed different. Then again, all the other men in his life had seemed different to those before. 

But still. There was something about Kravitz, about the warm of his smile, the brightness of his eyes… Something would absolutely have to be done about his ice-hands, but Taako had worked with worse. He was also attentive, and had really seemed (at least, as best as Taako had been able to tell at the time) into his ears and his pleasure, even setting aside his own. 

That was new, for Taako. He hadn’t had to fight Kravitz for his own pleasure, hadn’t had to roll himself on top  and take control to come. Also: ‘I'm really into you’. 

Taako’s heart thudded in his throat. He was both terrified and excited at the idea. He wanted… that. Wanted Kravitz, wanted what Lup and Barry had, but every time he’d tried, more and more had been yanked away from him, more and more had been taken, until he was what he was now. 

The next two were easier. The first of them was a question asked, and Taako hadn't responded, at that point still eating dinner and kicking Lup under the table while she kicked him back. Half an hour after that was the text:  _ Took off the night of the 26th. That’s a Saturday. If it doesn’t work, let me know, I can get time off the week after that. _

Saturday the 26th. Of course. Why wouldn’t the one night Kravitz could get off before the end of the month be the same night as Lucretia’s dinner? 

Instead of texting Kravitz back, though, he texted lup.  _ this sucks. turns out the only night kravitz has off for our dinner date is the same night luc’s having her dinner party.  _

_ Invite Kravitz to that!!! Nobody will care if you bring your boyfriend and I want to meet him anyways! _

Taako winced just at the very idea.  _ we arent even official. it would b weird.  _ Besides, it was supposed to be a date, not a ‘meet my sister, her boyfriend, and all my other friends that are basically my family no pressure though’ thing. 

_ It’ll be fine! You’ve got like two weeks still, make some moves, make it official, and bring him along. He works nights, right?? We can drive up there in the afternoon after he gets some sleep and we can drive back that night or stay over if we get too drunk! _

Taako sighed, but Lup wasn’t done.  _ Koko you told me about this guy like the second he asked you out. I didn’t find out about HIM for literally six weeks after you got together. If you’re that nervous about it, let me and Barry meet him and size him up. You KNOW I have the best creep-dar around.  _

_ yeah maybe… I dont even kno if he would want to come to a dinner like that.  _

_ So ASK him. I know you’re emotionally constipated Koko, but you won’t know until you ask. And if he’s as into you as you say he is, then he won’t mind being asked.  _

Taako sighed again. His feet had carried him down the boardwalk to the parking lot his van was parked in. In the summer, he usually stayed in the parking lot of Lup and Barry’s apartment complex, but in the fall and winter, there was no reason not to stay near the water. 

He fumbled his keys out of his pocket. The van was a faded old maroon color, a huge patch of the side painted over with a slightly newer color. Taako glared at the spot unhappily until he got the sliding door open and yanked. He clambered up, pulled the door shut behind him, then leaned into the driver’s seat to start up the van. 

The interior lights came on, illuminating the sad truth that was Taako’s existence: A narrow bed set on a wooden frame with shelves beneath, a little counter with a camp stove on top, and shelves. He’d done his best to spruce up the inside with colorful fabric and lights, but it was still a van. 

Once upon a time, this van had been something else, had been a hope and dream of his, but now it wasn’t. It was a nearly-free place to live, and that was about it. 

Taako kicked off his shoes and stuffed them into one of the shelves under his bed, then sat on the thin mattress, wrestling himself out of his clothes until he was just in his undies. From there, it was simple to stuff his feet under the sheets, reach up to turn off the interior light, and lay down, nestling himself down. At least he had plenty of sheets and blankets. He’d get up in a bit before he fell asleep to turn off the van, but it was a bit chilly, so he was running the heat. 

Once under the covers, he texted Kravitz.  _ we can b official… if thats what u want im cool with it. also on 26th one of my friends is having a dinner party for a big group of us… im cooking that night. u can come if u want or we can have dinner another night up to u.  _

The engine was off and Taako was dozing when his phone (hastily shoved under his pillow) buzzed and woke him back up. It was well after midnight by now, but of course the middle of Kravitz’s day. 

_ Great! Also, I’m okay with that, if you don’t mind my being there… I’d like to meet your sister, she seems really cool. _

_ ull like lucretia too. her adopted son has locs like u do but theyre tiny and real cute. just dont be scared by magnus and jules theyre mostly harmless.  _

_ Maybe we can hang out some time before then? Another coffee date? Maybe meet some of your friends so I’m not totally alone when you’re in the kitchen cooking there? _

_ coolcool. so whats it like working in the icu? _

In reply, Kravitz sent a photo. It was from behind a desk, the screen washed out to white, and the dimness beyond of a lightly lit nurse’s station.  _ Very quiet. Most of the patients here are at least stable, but a few of them are in critical condition. I gotta go make another round here in a few, but mostly they all sleep at night. _

_ how many nurses are there at night? _

_ In the ICU? Three, but there’s always backup in the ER if we need. We usually don’t, but sometimes we get in patients in the middle of the night and that’s always exciting because it pretty  much wakes everybody up. This is getting into the slow season though. Lot fewer patients without all the extra tourists.  _

_ i bet. _ The last time Taako had been in a hospital, it had been for Lup. With Lup. Barry had been there too, of course, but they hadn’t been as serious then as they were now.  _ listen, krav, i would love to stay up and chat but i am real tired still from this morning so im going to sleep if thats cool w u.  _

_ Of course. Get some sleep, Taako. _ And, a few minutes later, just when Taako was drowsing off again, he got another photo. This one of Kravitz, backlit by the light of the nurse’s station. His skin was inky in the darkness, a few of his locs outlined in light. He was smiling, and it reached all the way to his warm brown eyes, crinkling his skin into crow’s feet. 

Taako felt his heart speed up, thumping dangerously fast, and he turned off his phone’s screen. He turned his head and buried his face in the pillow, entire body curling. He wasn’t supposed to have it for Kravitz already. He wasn’t supposed to have it at all, or maybe never, but here he was. There Kravitz was. 

And Taako was in love. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When Taako misbehaves I make him do things like admit to himself that he loves Krav. 
> 
> Find me on tumblr @notsoshem !


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow okay so it's been way longer than I was planning for it to take to get this chapter out. I could not, for love or money, get Lup to cooperate in the coffee shop scene where she meets Krav, and I tried three or four times before giving up. On the other side, though, you get to meet Lucretia and Merle and Angus all in this chapter, so that's great!

A pool just isn't the same as the ocean. It has no energy. No life.   
- _ Linda Gerber _

 

-

 

Taako woke to the sound of waves crashing on the beach. It was one of his favorite sounds, one he could only get here like this, through the thin metal walls of his van. 

He moved, stretching out under his blankets, then rolled into his front before getting his knees under him so he could sit up. He stretched his arms up, pressing his palms flat against the ceiling, then swung himself out of bed. He’d slept on his hair so it was a fuzzy, messy braid, but he was going to go surfing so it didn’t much matter. He twisted it up into a knot on top of his head, secured it with a big butterfly clip so it wouldn’t whip him in the face, then started to get dressed. 

Swim shorts, flip-flops, and a cheap tanktop emblazoned with the logo of a local bar. 

He stuffed his phone and keys into a bag that he bundled up with his towel, then stepped out of the van and into the parking lot. He reached back to drag out his surfboard, dragged shut the sliding door.

When Taako finally turned, it was to an empty beach and the waves crashing on the  clean sand. He let out a breath, then made his way out. He abandoned his towel and shoes into a divot in the sand he made to hide them from sight from the boardwalk, then headed into the water. 

Paddling out steadied him. When Taako had been young, surfing had been a way to center himself, to push himself. Surfing now was easy, but it still centered him. It still gave him the ability to let everything else fall away, to be present in a moment in a way he’d struggled with. Lup had never had the same problems. She was lucky in that regard. 

Today, though… Even when he stood up on his board to actually surf, his mind wasn’t on what he was doing. Wasn’t on the dinner party in two weeks, or his dream of having his own food truck, but… Kravitz. 

Kravitz.

Taako could only see him in that most recent photo, backlit, smiling with his entire face, his eyes crinkled up, full lips curved. Could only see him from a foot away in the coffee shop, lips shiny from spit and smudged-off gloss, eyes almost glassy. 

Could only see Kravitz from so close Taako couldn't make out any details, the sides of their faces pressed together, Kravitz’s lips and tongue and teeth on his ears, hand around his cock, Taako’s feet resting on his hips. 

Taako had been obsessed before. But Kravitz was not Sazed. Kravitz was warm, and attentive, and was handsome enough that he didn’t have to hang off of Taako’s coattails. He was also the more successful one of the two of them, really. 

But still. He didn’t know Kravitz. Had barely actually known him for less than a week. And he was going to introduce him to his entire family? To Lup and Barry and Dav and Lucretia and Merle and Magnus and Julia and  _ Angus _ ? 

Taako shivered at the thought. 

A year ago he would have crowed loudly to any who would listen that none of those people - except maybe Lup - meant nothing to him, that he didn’t care about them, that they could die and he wouldn’t shed a tear, but… Taako from a year ago was not the Taako he was today. He cared about them all. 

But he also cared about Kravitz. 

And that was terrifying. 

 

-

 

The drive out to Merle’s place was a long one, especially in the van. It was unhappy at the best of times, and Merle lived pretty far into the wilderness, in a rural area overlooking the ocean. The van sputtered and grumbled up the long hill, but when he pulled to a stop in front of the little cottage, it didn’t completely die, so he’d probably be fine to get home. If not, he’d have to call Magnus and try to figure out how to fix the van over the phone, but hopefully the van would be fine. 

Taako slammed shut the door of the van, not bothering to take his keys or phone - because there was no cell service here anyways - as he headed up to the house. 

The cottage was beautiful. The porch was overflowing with plants - succulents and vines and there was a tomato plant in a pot sitting by the steps. The front door was open, and Taako pulled open the screen. “Merle?” He kicked off his shoes and padded into the house. There were no signs of the kids, but there was also no sign Merle was actually home. The dwarf lived like a hermit, basically, and didn’t have enough to steal unless you really liked zucchini. 

Taako made his way through the house, and then out to the back. 

Sure enough, there Merle was, crouched in the dirt in the garden, humming to himself. “Merle!” He started and looked up.

“Taako! I didn’t know you were coming!” He got up, brushing dirt off his raggedy shorts. 

“Your phone is off or something, it just kept going to voicemail. I’m here to steal some of your shit.” 

“Oh. Alright. What for?” 

Taako blinked. Was Merle serious? Was he finally actually going senile? “Haven’t you gotten a call or text from Lucretia? She’s having a dinner party this weekend, I’m cooking, I need some of your vegetables so it doesn’t taste like shit.” 

“Well.” Merle propped his hands on his hips - his prosthetic one and flesh one alike. “Help yourself, I guess. What do you need?” 

“I got it,” Taako said with a shrug. “Give me one of your baskets to use, though.”

Carefully, he crouched, sorting through merle’s plants - he didn’t seem to like planting them neatly because they were always a riot, but everything was meticulously weeded and kept up, so it was easy to pull out bundles of carrots in every color, to deposit sweet and ripe and huge tomatoes into the basket, to - with Merle’s help - dig up potatoes and harvest ears of corn. 

In the end, it took two baskets full to get enough food. There was going to be at least ten of them there, after all, and Magnus could put enough food away for two people. There would be meat, of course, chicken and duck and pork and beef, but Merle’s vegetables were always the centerpiece. 

Before he left, Taako helped Merle dig up his phone and plug it in and also set it to ring as loudly as possible, because it had indeed been on silent. “I’ll see you this weekend,” he told Merle while halfway in his van, one foot still on the gravel, the other on the mat inside his van. 

“Yeah, see you.” Merle glanced to the side, and Taako knew he, too, was looking at the off-tone patch of paint on the side of the van. “Taako, look, you know--" 

“I’m gonna stop you there, Merle, because… I’m not really interested in hearing the rest of it. I want to do it on my own, alright?” 

Merle nodded slowly. “You should have Lucretia paint something else on it.” 

“Yeah, maybe.” Taako shrugged, not sure if he wanted to ask Lucretia to put that much effort into such a piece of shit van. “I gotta take these over to her place anyway, I’ll talk to her about it.” 

“Alright.” Merle nodded again. “I’ll see you this weekend.” He held out his left hand - it was dirty and scratched up, but Taako slapped his hand over it with a grin. He stepped back up and Taako hefted himself up the van and yanked the door shut. He rolled down the window, started the van - it grumbled unhappily, but went - then leaned out, looking back so he could back up without running into anything. 

Instead of going home, though, Taako turned the van toward Lucretia’s. He wanted to drop off the vegetables, get them scrubbed and away safely and also go shopping with Lucretia for the rest of the food they needed. 

It wasn’t all that far from Merle’s place. Lucretia, though, lived in a more suburban area, with perfect houses and perfect families. Lucretia’s house was painted a beautiful sky blue, her new car in the driveway, and a perfect yard. It was idyllic. 

Taako hated it. Kind of. He hated neighborhoods like this, hated everything so orderly and perfect, so rigid, but having a house and everything was also great. Taako was used to living his life without being tied down to anything but his sister, and while he might have loved a home like this as a kid, adult Taako almost preferred his van. 

He dragged out one of the baskets of produce and made his way to the front door. He knocked once, then opened the door. “Lucretia? Ango?” He pushed his way in, kicked his shoes off (and also wiped his feet on the soft rug inside the door) and made his way back to the kitchen. 

Lucretia met him halfway, emerging from her office. “Taako! Oh, jeez, let me help you,” she said, and together they hefted the basket into the kitchen. 

“There’s another one in the van,” Taako said, but made no move to go get it. Instead, he put up his arms when Lucretia approached him and they hugged. She smelled good, like old books and ink. She was soft, her prematurely white hair standing out starkly against her dark skin. 

“It’s good to see you. You didn’t have to bring this out here, I could have come to the apartment.” 

“Nah, it’s chill, I went to Merle’s place. Made sure his phone was on and everything, he had no idea about the dinner. Where’s the little man?”

“Probably studying.” Lucretia patted her hands over Taako’s shoulders, then turned to head towards the stairs. “Angus? Taako is here, you want to come down?” 

“How’s he doing?” 

“Good. Better. Basically homeschooling, since we’re still having trouble finding a school for him. He’s, well…” There was the rumble of feet on the stairs, and Taako turned in time to catch Angus. 

He was a tiny pinball of energy. “Taako! What are you doing here? You didn’t say you were coming to visit!” 

“Yeah, thought I’d drop in. I just came from Merle’s.” Angus was ten and small and if his hair wasn’t kept carefully corraled into twists and locs it would have been a tiny, extremely wild afro. He was also wearing a sweater and slacks and clean white socks. “I have something in the car to bring in, do you want to help?” 

It was hard not to love Angus. He was so smart and sincere, and also he loved Taako, which was a positive. 

“Sure! Lead the way!” Taako did, and together he and Angus brought in the other basket. They set it on the counter next to the first, and Taako sighed, dusting his hands off. 

“We need to wash all these and put them away, want to help?” 

“Yeah!” Angus beamed up at him, running to get a stool as Taako moved the baskets to the counter next to the sink and started to run the water. Lucretia pulled out a colander and scrub brush for him. 

“Lucretia, I was thinking, after this we could go shopping for everything else we need for the dinner.” 

She nodded, setting the colander in the sink - it was a big, white, enamel farm sink. Beautiful. Perfect. Taako wanted one of his own. “Sounds good, Taako.” She leaned against the counter and folded her arms over her chest, watching the doorway Angus had left out of. “Thanks for doing all this.” 

“Yeah, no problem, I don’t mind.” Taako started with the tomatoes, carefully rinsing them and setting them to the side. 

“How did your coffee thing with Kravitz and Lup and Barry go?” 

“Better than I was expecting, honestly. I thought she was going to rip his head off, but… she didn’t.” 

“I think she could tell how much you care about him.”

“Pssh, no way. Taako cares about nobody-"

“And nothing, I know,” Lucretia finished for him, but she was smiling. And he was smiling too. 

It was then that Angus came back in, hopping up onto his stool. “Here, little man, take this brush. You can do the potatoes, alright? Get them wet and scrub all the dirt off of them.” He didn’t think Angus needed even that much instruction, but he gave it anyways. 

The three of them fell into a comfortable rhythm. Angus was all too eager to chatter about his interests and what he's learned recently, and the newest Caleb Cleveland book, and even if, by the time they finished cleaning the vegetables and had them safely in the crisper drawer of the fridge, both Angus and Taako were splattered with water, they were happy. 

Taako dried himself off as best as he could while waiting for Angus to go upstairs to change sweaters and also find his shoes, and together they got into Lucretia’s perfectly clean, new sedan. 

The Whole Foods was equally clean and new, and Taako shoved his hands into his pockets as they crossed the parking lot. He had plenty to say about Whole Foods, but Angus was skipping ahead of them happily, even Taako’s gentle teasing not enough to bring him down, so he held back. 

Once they were inside, though, he scooped Angus up bodily and almost tossed him into one of the carts. He laughed as he squirmed around and got comfortable, legs stretched out the length of the cart. Lucretia took a cart as well and took over most of the task of actually pushing around the groceries while Taako did the shopping and pushed Angus. 

By the time they left the store laden with groceries and also more than a few snacks, it was getting into the evening. 

“Taako, do you want to stay the night?” Lucretia asked, and Angus lit up, and it was almost literally impossible to say no. Taako might have liked to pretend he didn’t like Angus, but he had a very large soft spot for the kid. 

“Only if we get to stay up late watching movies and eating the most bomb popcorn ever,” He said, propping his hands on his hips. “Oh, and I’m making dinner, too, come on Ango.” 

Lucretia watched Taako and Angus head into the kitchen and leaned against the wall again. It was good to see Taako so animated, so pleasant. Even as he set Angus to chopping carrots, even as he pulled out a few pans and got to work, he was vibrant. 

She had yet to meet Kravitz, but she knew that he was the one for Taako. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Find me on tumblr @notsoshem ! 
> 
> Also, if y'all have any ideas for a last name for Taako and Lup that isn't Taaco....... PLS. hmu. I'm struggling here.


End file.
